Music Therapy

Music Therapy Addresses Physical and Psychosocial Needs of Sickle Cell Patients

University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center’s Adult Sickle Cell Disease Clinic offers music therapy as an effective treatment for symptom management. This specialized therapy is provided by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. Our experts have found music therapy to be a successful form of treatment, showing improvements in:

• Managing pain and symptoms from sickle cell disease
• Managing relationships with their healthcare providers
• Feeling confident managing their illness

Benefits of Music Therapy

Board-certified music therapists provide individualized music therapy sessions to adult patients with sickle cell disease in both inpatient and outpatient clinic settings. Music therapy boosts the following benefits in patients through interventions such as:

• Decreases pain perception
• Increases active coping skills

• Provides an outlet for self-expression
• Teaches and reinforces disease management skills

• Opens up communication between patients and staff
• Provides social support

Other Programs

In addition to the individual music therapy sessions, our therapists provide the following for patients:

• Seidman Sessions: A weekly group drumming session for adult inpatients with sickle cell disease, their family members, and staff on the medical inpatient unit
• Recording sessions with young adult patients transitioning from pediatric care, in order to teach and reinforce disease management skills
• Music therapy services for monthly sickle cell disease support group in collaboration with a social worker
• Outreach and advocacy in collaboration with sickle cell disease support groups in Cleveland

Learn More

Learn more about music therapy at UH Seidman Cancer Center.